They say it takes forty days to develop a new habit. So if you began now, you could develop a new spiritual habit by Easter Sunday. This is the Christian season of Lent.
Numerous periods of forty days or forty years in the Bible set the stage for the season of Lent and its purpose: preparation. Particularly, preparation for life and victory because of Jesus; however, through discipline, turmoil, temptation, and even death.
The Israelites repeatedly rebelled against God so that he finally disciplined them, hoping to bring them back to their spiritual senses, as recalled for them by Moses: “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:2,3).
“For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand” (1 Samuel 17:16). The giant, Goliath, pestered the cowardly army of Israel and poked fun at God until a young shepherd boy named David came forward with courageous faith, a simple stone, and a message that the Lord God rules over all.
Jesus himself suffered in preparation for his saving work. “For forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry” (Luke 4:2). Forty days without food, physically and mentally weakened to the brink of death, and still Jesus would not give into temptation.
You are more important to him than his pleasure. Your forgiveness is worth his pain. To bless you with faith and love he lets you live through your personal periods of forty days. Only then will you discover how ugly sin and temptation really are, and how gracious Jesus always is.
Walk with Jesus during this forty day season of Lent. And prepare for your new life that Christians will celebrate with you on Easter Sunday!
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you for making me more important to you than your own pleasure, than your own easy path. Thank you for suffering for me. For being tempted. And for overcoming these in your holy choice to save me. Now, strengthen me to follow in your path. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Make a playlist or tune into some special music during this season of Lent. What music would help you focus more on Jesus and less on yourself?